PI Blotter: Investigator Helps in Arrest of Murder Suspect

Each week PInow combs the web for the latest and most interesting industry news stories to bring you the Weekly Private Investigator Blotter.

Security Company Facing Legal Challenge That Could Impact Law

NEW ZEALAND – Satellite Security Systems NZ Ltd is the first company to be charged under the Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010. The company faces six charges of operating without a license. However, the owner of the security company, Andrew Craig Campbell, is fighting the charges, saying that the 2010 law is vague and contains grey areas in the fine print. If Campbell wins his case, it could affect the application of the law and could allow other security companies to work without a license.

DETROIT, MI – Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano is being asked questions about spending over $58,000 county dollars on Michigan private investigators. Under local laws, approval from the Wayne County Commission and a bidding process for private investigators would only be needed for contracts over $50,000 and each of Ficano’s contracts was for less than that. It appears that Ficano used the investigators for a number of cases, including surveillance work on union employees.

PUGET ISLAND, WA – Chris Peterson, a Washington private investigator, traveled all the way to Alaska in order to help police capture a double-murder suspect that has not been found for more than 25 years. With Peterson’s help, authorities were able to arrest Ricky Riffe, a longtime suspect in the 1985 murders of Minnie and Ed Maurin. The case had been cold before Peterson and law enforcement took a fresh look at it. Riffe, who has multiple charges, is being held on $5 million bail and will be arraigned next week.

Private Investigators in Alaska Not Strongly Regulated

ANCHORAGE, AK — Only five states do not require private investigators to have a license, and Alaska is one of them. According to Anchorage police, Alaska private investigators do not need to meet strict requirements. Their privileges are not any different from that of a private citizen and they do not have access to any Alaska computer systems or databases that police have access to. Alaska private investigator Robert Shaw says that he always points out to clients that he can only do what they themselves can do. He is upfront about not being able to follow people or gain access to private information not available to the public.

IRVINE, CA – Cameron Jackson, a California private investigator, originally worked with the police before turning to private investigation work. He specializes in criminal defense cases, but also works on family law investigations and civil cases as well as surveillance work. According to Jackson, investigations are easier than ever because so many people willingly put photos and information on social networking sites. In addition, many people voluntarily – if unwittingly – offer up their information to database companies who resell that data to anyone who is interested. Even credit agencies resell some information, so anyone who applies for a loan or financing usually surrenders some information that is resold. According to Jackson, marketers are actually less invasive than the government and credit agencies in gathering and reselling information.

WILLIAMSON, WV – Donald Stevens, a West Virginia private investigator, has been arrested and charged with two counts of conspiracy to disclose intercept. The charges stem from an investigation by authorities which led to the discovery of an illegal wiretapping operation of an official police investigation.

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